Budapest – midlifewanderlust1965

January 12, 2014January 12, 2014

Travel Plans for 2014

After much deliberation I am happy to finally announce my travel plans for 2014. Like most of my trips it will be limited to Europe.

Lisbon – This trip will take place at the end of March. I have never visited Portugal so I am looking forward to see somewhere new.

Istanbul – I am planning to celebrate my birthday in this city. I have heard some good reports and it looks an exciting place to visit. Also I know somebody out there.

Baltics – The tour of the Baltic cities will take place in September. I am looking to start in Helsinki followed by Tallinn, Riga, Kaunas and finishing in Vilnius. This will be the main trip of the year.

Budapest – I wanted to see the New Year away from home. After much research I have decieded to return to Budapest. I loved the vibe of the city. The first accommodation booked for 2014 was Budapest.

I would appreciate any tips on what to see while on my travels. I better start saving.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

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December 29, 2013December 29, 2013

The Highlights of 2013

In terms of travel 2013 was an excellent year for me. I felt that I had become a proper traveller. This gave me a sense of achievement which was added to the growth of the blog.

2013 saw me undertake two trips in Europe. In March I visited Vienna and Budapest. Despite the weather being cold I had an amazing time. While both cities had come up to my expectations, I was particually taken by Budapest. The city had a faded charm to it and I was left wanting more.

However, the main highlight of 2013 was the trip to the Balkans in September. I was lucky that work allowed me to take three weeks off work. It was also my first multi-country trip too. I enjoyed the constant travelling and experiencing different hostels. The people I met along the way was also a bonus. For the first time I felt like a traveller. This trip changed me and the smile has still to leave my face.

I am looking forward to 2014. In my head I have more trips planned which I will announce soon in a future post. If it is half as good as 2013 I will be a happy man.

Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

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December 22, 2013December 22, 2013

Photo Essay – Budapest

As 2013 comes to a close I would like to share some of my photos from my travels. The first photo essay is from Budapest.

I hope that you have enjoyed some of my photos. Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

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June 15, 2013June 15, 2013

Rail Travel in Mainland Europe

As I may have mentioned in previous posts I travel a lot by coach across mainland Europe. The railways had never been considered. The reason for that was I thought the railways were too expensive. This was based upon rail travel in the UK.

On my last day in Budapest in March I was put in a situation where I had no choice but to catch the train as my coach to Vienna had been cancelled without any notice. This led me into a blind panic. The only option was to catch the train. I thought that buying a rail ticket on the day of travel was going to cost me a fortune. This is how is works in the UK. I am going to end up stuck in Budapest.

I enquired on how much a ticket was going to cost. To my surprise I was told it would cost Huf7500 which is about £22.00, a bargain. To purchase a rail ticket between London and Manchester on the day would cost £76.00.

The train itself was comfortable. I even found a seat. In the UK you are not guaranteed a seat. The last major rail journey I made in the UK was between Birmingham and York. I had a seat number only to find somebody else sitting in my seat and they would not move. There was no staff available so I ended up having to sit in somebody else's seat, not ideal.

The train arrived into Vienna on time. This was unlike the UK where reliability is an issue that draws up a lot of complaints. By the time I arrived into Vienna all the tension and panic I was suffering from had disappeared as I knew I would be leaving for the UK on time.

The lesson I have learnt from the experience is not to judge other country's rail system to the UK before I try it. I should have realised by the popularity of the Eurail passes that travelling by rail in Europe can be an enjoyable experience that can be value for money.

Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

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April 6, 2013

When Things Do Not Go To Plan

During my travels I have been lucky not to experience many problems. Sure, there have been some narrow escapes but nothing that could have been catastrophic. This was until my last trip to Budapest. The scenario being I was going to return to Vienna by coach on Friday 12 March. Ticket had been booked for some time so there should not be any problem.

Reality however, proved to be different. Snow had fallen during the night and with the day being a national holiday in Hungary the police made the decision to close the roads in and out of Budapest. This meant my coach was cancelled. While a little shocked I was not unduly worried. I did not need to be in Vienna until Saturday for my coach back to London. My coach ticket was changed free of charge and I could book another night at the hostel. I saw this as a bonus.

Saturday came and the snow was thawing. Surely no problem. However, I was proved wrong. Without an explanation why all coaches to Vienna were cancelled. I was told my best bet would to take a train instead. The only problem I had, was where was the train station. Nobody at the coach seemed to know which I found to be odd. Eventually somebody told me which stop I should head for.

My heart was in my mouth as I was hoping I had enough money for a train ticket. Fortunately cost of rail travel on mainland Europe is a lot cheaper than the UK and I managed to board a train to Vienna and caught my coach back to London. For an hour though I was travelling by the seat of my pants. I was not in control of the situation. This was the first time something like this had happened to me. Though I suspect it will happen again on my travels.

So what will I learn from this situation:-

Do not lose your temper at the staff. They delivered the news and are not the cause of the problem.
Take 5 minutes to assess the situation and weigh up your options. They might be staring in front of your face.
Research your destination. Find out where all the transport hubs are located. The more options, the better chance you have finding a positive outcome.
Ensure you have access to emergency funds for this type of situation.
Chalk it down to experience. You have something to tell your family and friends about.

Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

December 8, 2012

Travel Plans 2013

Since I returned Prague in September I have been giving a lot thought to my travel plans for 2013. Sadly I am not in a position where travelling on a full-time basis is an option. It is a case of balancing travel with work. Also because of finances I have decided to stick to Europe next year. Do not worry the rest of the world, your time will come.

I may have already mentioned in a previous post that my first trip will be to Vienna and Budapest in March, In total it will last twelve days including the travel time. I will be using Eurolines coach service from London. The reasons for choosing these cities were clear. I was in Vienna in 2011 but was confined to my dorm with food poisoning so I missed out on the delights of the city. Second time lucky I hope.

I felt on my last trip to Prague and Bratislava that I could have planned the trip better and allowed time to visit Budapest. I am particularly looking forward to visit as I had heard good things about the city.

My second trip I am really excited about. I had mentioned that I was looking to do a loop of the Balkans. The only thing that could hold me back would be the amount of time work would allow me to take off. On Tuesday I was given the good news that I could take three weeks off work. Now I can start planning for the Balkans in September. All I know at this moment is that the tour will start and finish in Zagreb. Which direction I take will be down to logistics. I am looking to take in the major cities in Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia Herzegovina and Croatia.

Also 2013 will see me travelling more in the UK. Also I will be looking at the feasibility of planning a big trip where I would need to take a prolonged break from work. This has always been a dream of mine. At the least I should explore this. With my plans looking clearer I cannot wait for 2013.

Until the next time stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve

November 23, 2012

Where next?

I have spent the last couple of week deciding on my travel plans for 2013. As a renowned procrastinator this has been a difficult task. Financially I am in the best of health but this ok because travelling on a budget adds to the sense of adventure. I also take advantage of the perks that available to me. I work for a coach company in the UK so there are some ways that it helps me to travel more.

Due to the work commitments I cannot travel as much as I would like. I only get so many days holiday in a year. However, I do not like spending time off work at home. It feels just a waste of my time. Some where do I travel next? The one decision I have made is that I will be sticking to Europe. As I was told by a Canadian in Prague that I was so lucky to have so many places that I can reach within a day. This is true, I must also admit that there are many places in Europe that I have yet to visit.

So I am pleased to announce that my first trip of 2013 will be to Vienna and Budapest. I visited Vienna in 2011 but I was laid low by food poisoning which meant that I did not get to see much of the city. Better luck this time I hope. On my travels in September I was given so many good reports about Budapest. If I had planned that trip better I could have included Budapest in the itinerary. However, I am looking forward to seeing what the city offers.

Now I hit the procrastinator stage of my planning. I am not sure what other trips I am going to plan for. Initially I was going to plump for a trip in June and one in September like this year. However, I am thinking more about a longer trip of over three weeks in September. This will all depend on whether I can get that amount of time away from work. If I do then I am looking to complete a circle of the Balkans starting and finishing in Zagreb. If not, then it will be back to the drawing board.

By publishing my plans it commits me to carry them out. I will also ensure that I will travel to London and other cities in the UK and report back to you.

Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.

Steve